Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-09
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
CONDENSED REPORT OF THAT ABLE
DOCUMENT.

| The President first discusses national hnan-
| ces, which subject he says requires 1mmedl-
| ate and careful attention. He recommends a
reduction of revenues, and the lifting OF the
burthens of taxation from the citizens, and
says the existing heavy surplus in the treasury
| prevents investments i'll productive enterpris-
es. threatens financial disturbances, and IN
| vites schemes of public plumber.
| He says that on the 30th day of June, 1885,
the excess of revenue over public expenditures
after complying with the annual requirements
. OF the sinking fund excess, WAS SIT, $50, 49,
"a. During the year ended June 80, 1886,
| such excess amounted to $40, 405 1920, and
| during the year ended June 80, 1887 it reach
ed the sum of $55, 567 ,S45 81. The annual
contribution to the sinking fund during the
| three years above specified, amounting in the
aggregate to $138 05S, $3.50 81.
| In speaking of the tariff, the President says
| st is not proposed to entirely relieve the
| country of tariff taxation. 1t must be extern
sively continued as the source of the govern
ment's income, and in a readjustment of our
| tariff the interest of American labor engaged
in manufacture, should be carefully consider
| ed as well as the preservation of our manu-
features. 1t may be called protection or by
| any other name, but relief from the hardships
and dangers of our present tariff laws should
be devised with especial precaution against
| imperiling the existence of our manufacturing
| interests But this existence should not mean
condition, which. without regard to public
, welfare or q national eXgency must always
insure the realization of immense profits in
stead of n. oderateIy profitable returns.
3; We are in the midst of centennial celebra
lions and with becoming pride we rejoice in
American skill and ingenuity, and American
energy and enterprise, and in the wonderful
natural advantages and resources developed
NV q nanturVfS national growth And vet
when an attempt is made to Justify a scheme
which permits tax to be laid upon every con-
sumner in the land for the benefit of our man
facturers, and quite beyond reasonable de-
mand for general uses it suits the purpose of
advocacy to call our manufactures infant in
dustries, still needing the highest and great
est degree of favor and fostering care that can
| be wrung from Federal legislation. 1t is also
said that the increase in the price of domestic
manufactures resulting from the present tariff
is necessary in order that higher wages may
be paid to our working men employed in
manufactures than what is called the pauper
| labor of Europe All Will acknowledge the
/ force of au argument which involves the wei
| fare and liberal compensation of our laboring
people, Our labor is honorable in the eyes OF
every American citizen, and as it lies at the
; foundation of our development and progress
| it is entitled to the utmost regard. The stan
l
| by that of any other country less favored But
| the reduction of taxation demanded should
| be SO measured as not to necessitate either the
| loss of employment by the working man nor
the lessening of his wages, and the profits still
| remaining to the manufacturer should fur
nish no excuse for the sacrifice of the interest
of his employees, nor can the worker in manu-
| factories fail to understand that while high
tariff is claimed to be necessary to allow the
Of IL
results in very large increase in the price of
nearly all sorts of manufactures, which, in
almost countless forms, he needs fer the use
of himself and his family. He receives at the
desk of the employer his wages and, perhaps
before he reaches his home, is obliged in
purchase for family use of an article which
embraces his labor, to return in the payment
of the increase in price which the tariff per
mits, the hard earned compensation of many
days of toll.
The farmer and the agriculturist who man
ufacture nothing, but who pay the increased
I price which the tariff imposes upon every ag-
ricultural implement and upon all thu
wears is invited to aid in maintaining the
present situation, and he is told that high
duty on imported wool is necessary for the
benefit of those who have sheep to shear, in
order that the price of their wool may be in
creased. They of course, not reminded
that the farmer who has no sheep is by this
scheme obliged, IN his purchases of clothing
and wooden goods, to pay tribute to his fell
low-farmer, as we'll as to the manufacturer
and merchant. Nor is any mention made of
|, the fact that the sheep owners themselves
must wear clothing and other articles manu-
featured from the wool they sell, at tariff pri-
ces. 1t may be fairly assumed that large
proportion of the sheep owned by the farmers
throughout the country are found in small
hocks, numbering from twenty-five to fifty,
the duty on the or, de of imported wool which
these sheep yield is ten cents on each pound,
if of the value of thirty cents or less, and -
cents if the value is more than thirty cents
If the liberal estimate of six pounds be al
lowed for each fleece the duty thereon would
be sixty or seventy-two cents. Eighteen dol
lars would thus represent the increased prices
of the wool from twenty-five sheep, and at
present values this addition would amount to
about one third If its price. If upon its sale
the farmer receives this or less tariff profit.
the wool leaves his hands charged with pre-
cisely that sum which in all it's changes will
adhere to it, until it reaches the consumer,
manufactured into cloth, its cost is not only
increased to the extent of the farmers tariff
profit, but a further sum has been added for
the benefit of the manufacturer under the OPP
eraticn of other tariff laws In the meantime
the farmer finds it necessary to purchase wool
en- clothes to clothe himself and family for the
winter. When he faces the tradesman he dis
covers that he is obliged not only to return,
in the way of increased prices, his tariff profit
on the wool he sold, but that he must add a
considerab BILE sum thereto to meet further in
crease in cost, caused by a tariff duty on the
manufacture. When the number CT farmers
engaged in wool raising is compared with all
the farmers in the country, and when it must
be conceded that the increase of the cost of
living, caused by such tariff, becomes bur-
den upon the poor and unemployed, the sick
and well, and that it constitutes tax which
with relentless grasp, is fastened upon the
clothing of every man in the land, the duty
which we owe the people is to reduce taxation
to the necessary expenses of an economical
operation of the government, and to restore
to the business of the country the money
which we hold in the treasury through the
perversion of governmental powers. These
things can be done with safety to our indus
tries and without danger to remunerative
labor.
I am SO much impressed with the paramount
importance of the subject to which this COM
munication has thus far been devoted, that l
shall forego the addition of any other topic,
and only urge upon your immediate consider
alton the state of the Union, as shown in the
present condition of our treasury, and our
general fiscal situation, upon which every ele-
ment of our safety and prosperity depends.